Orthopedic external fixation devices are used in many orthopedic treatments to fixate, distract, compress, or reduce bone segments and to correct deformities. Generally, fixation devices or fixators are used to stabilize fractured bone pieces and to facilitate the healing of bones at a bone repair site. Such fixators can be used by orthopedic surgeons to restore the patient's anatomy at a fracture following an injury or distract an osteotomy site in bone lengthening or shortening procedures. One type of external fixation devices comprise two base members connected by one or more of adjustable struts that can be adjusted to set the two base members into a desired relative configuration that is appropriate for treating a particular orthopedic fracture, nonunion, malunion, or deformities of skeletal bone fragments. The base members usually have ring-like structures and can be full rings or partial rings. In one conventional example disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 6,030,386 to Taylor et al., adjustable telescoping struts connect two ring-like structures via conventional universal-universal-joints that provide a variety of attachment angles. However, the conventional universal joints do not provide the ability to lock the attachment angle while configuring the external fixation device.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for an improved external fixator and adjustable struts that is simpler to use while maintaining the robust adjustability to be able to configure the external fixators for a variety of orthopedic fixation applications.